Vampire Moon
by Rogue 13
Summary: Hard to summarize, but please read it ^_^
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1  
  
A Girl of about twelve sits at a table in the back of the library thumbing through her note book. Opening it to a blank page she sits it on the table and turns her attention to a large book about two or three inches thick with the title "Myths and Legends." She opens it up and starts to read down the first page taking notes as she reads.  
  
A boy of about sixteen wonders down the empty hallway toward the library his boots making a hollow thumping sound as he walks across the hardwood floor. He pushes the large front door open and enters looking around. He sighs lightly figuring he will never find what he needs and heads toward the back of the library. He moves along the bookshelves along the back wall running his fingers over the books.  
  
Skipping over a few of the less interesting myths or legends she continues reading and taking notes. She pauses a moment looking out over the unoccupied tables in front of her. She smiles spotting the boy. She waves trying to catch his attention. "Ecko!" She calls. She smiles that finally getting his attention.  
  
He smiles his green eyes shinning slightly in the dim light. He makes his way over to her still running his fingers over the books on the shelf. He turns leaning against the table. "Hi Riho, what are you reading?"  
  
She shakes her head closing her note book. "Nothing important."  
  
Ecko laughs lightly. He reaches over lifting the front of the book so he can read the cover. "Vampiric Myths and Legends." He looks at her his right eyebrow slightly raised. "You don't really believe in this stuff do you Riho?"  
  
She collects her things off the table stuffing them into her backpack. "No, course not." She bends down and picks her jacket up off the floor. "Just doing a little research." She shrugs pulling her backpack up onto her shoulder. "I kind of find it interesting."  
  
"You are one weird little girl you know that?" He glances at his watch then folds his arms across his chest. "It's 10 p.m. shouldn't you be at home, your dad's probably worried about you."  
  
Riho picks up the book and starts to walk off. "No, my dad's a cop he's hardly ever home remember." She stops turning to look at him. "Why aren't you at home, your parents are probably worried about you." She motions for him to follow.  
  
He follows letting his arms drop to his sides. As he walks past she falls into step beside him. "Their not my real parents remember. Besides I hate it there." He stuffs his hands into his pants pockets kicking a balled up piece of paper across the floor. "They have two kids of their own, they don't care where I am or what I'm doing and their constantly fighting when ever I'm around. It's a wonder why they even adopted me in the first place."  
  
As they reach the front door Riho pushes it open. "Ecko, I'm sure they care a lot." Once outside she links her arm with his. "Otherwise they wouldn't have adopted you. There are a few reasons to be glad they did, I mean besides the twins." She looks up at him.  
  
"Oh yeah, like what?" He looks down at her.  
  
She smiles. "Me, I mean I am your best friend aren't I?"  
  
Ecko laughs lightly. "Yeah Riho you are my best friend. Come to think of it your my only friend."  
  
They make their way to the coffee shop. Ecko opens the door and they walk to a booth in the back. Sitting down Riho places her backpack on the table removing her laptop opening it up she hits a several keys bringing the computer on line.  
  
Ecko watches curiously. "You want a drink or something?"  
  
Riho nods. She hits a few more keys and a web site covered with pictures of vampires and demons comes up. "A coke please."  
  
He smiles standing and makes his way over to the counter to order their drinks. He returns several minutes later with their drinks and a plate of French fries. He sets them down on the table and slides in across from her. "Find what your looking for?"  
  
She nods. "Yeah." The computer beeps and another screen appears over the one that's already there. She looks it over. "My dad's home." She hits a button and the message goes away.  
  
Ecko takes a couple fries and eats them. "So we better get you home then?" He finishes off his coke setting the glass on the table.  
  
Riho shakes her head. "We still have time he just wants me home before midnight." She saves what she's working on and shuts the computer off putting it back into her backpack. She reaches over grabbing some fries. "We have about an hour and a half. You want to rent some movies and go to my house, or wonder around town a while and see how much trouble we can get into?"  
  
Ecko thinks a moment eating a few more fries. "Well we definitely don't need a trip to the police station, we have enough of them on your records already." He takes a drink of what's left of Riho's coke.  
  
She smiles. "So we'll go get some movies and go to my house?" She takes the glass from him finishing off what's left.  
  
"Yeah." Ecko takes a couple dollars from his pocket and leaves it on the table. "So what kind of movies we going to get?" He stands up.  
  
Riho stands picking up her backpack. "Some scary ones." She laughs lightly grabbing her jacket sliding it on.  
  
Ecko rolls his eyes. "Go figure."  
  
They head out of the coffee shop and down the street. At the end of the block they round the corner on to the still crowded main street. They make ttheir way to the video store and pick out a few movies. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Upon reaching the house Riho unlocks the door. Entering she sets her backpack on the floor inside the door and looks around. "Looks like he went to bed or something so we'll have to go up stairs." She heads upstairs.  
  
Ecko follows carrying the bag of movies. "Why can't we stay down here?"  
  
"Because his room is down here." She laughs lightly. "And there's a bigger TV. up here anyway." She continues up the stairs walking to the end of the hall she opens the door and they enter a large room decorated with various shades of blue and white. The only furniture being a four post bed, a dresser and a desk cluttered with various computer equipment. A big screen TV. sits no more then five feet from the end of the bed.  
  
Ecko chuckles. "It still amazes me how you got all this stuff to fit in here." He moves over to the TV. turning it on and plugging a movie into the VCR. He moves back setting down on the bed.  
  
Riho kicks off her shoes and climbs up on the bed laying down on her stomach. "In a few days I'll have more space. Because that wall is coming down." She indicates the wall behind the TV.  
  
"Your dad's going to let you do that?" He leans back grabbing a pillow getting comfortable.  
  
"Yeah Ecko it was his idea." She shifts a bit shoving him playfully. "We going to watch this movie or talk?"  
  
He laughs, lightly shoving her back. "Watch the movie." He gets comfortable again laying his head on the pillow tilting it so it leans against her arm. "You think your dad would let me crash here tonight?"  
  
She smiles her attention on the movie. "Yeah of course."  
  
Ecko smiles seeing she's more interested in the movie then answering his questions. He shifts around a bit closing his eyes wanting to sleep instead of watch the movie.  
  
After a while the movie ends leaving the room bathed in a soft glow of white light it flickers then fades as the TV. shuts itself off plunging the room into complete darkness. Leaving Riho and Ecko sleeping soundlessly on the bed.  
  
Ecko shifts around slightly his peaceful sleep interrupted by startling images of a tragic loss from his not so distant past. One image not as disturbing as the rest, it being that of a little four year old girl with short jet black hair and jade green eyes.  
  
She giggles lightly. "Ecko." She calls playfully her voice sounding distant though she appears to be standing right in front of him.  
  
"Elly?" He reaches out to touch her, her image fades and once again he stands in the empty living room of a house where he and his biological family had once lived. "Elly?" He calls again looking around frantically. As red-orange flames start to move across the floor and up the walls. "Elly May Hayato where are you?"  
  
"Ecko." The girls voice echoes off the walls slowly fading into Riho's. He slowly opens his eyes, sitting up he leans forward resting his elbows on his knees wiping the sweat off his face with his hands.  
  
Riho wonders around the room in her underwear looking around for a change of clothes. "Ecko you alright man?" She sits next to him on the bed a white tank top in her hand.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine." He rubs his hands over his face and back through his hair standing. "I'm going to catch a shower, you have anything I can wear afterward?  
  
She smiles. "I'm sure I can find something."  
  
"Thanks kiddo." He messes her hair then heads off to the bathroom to take a shower.  
  
Riho wonders around her room a bit more before changing into a black leather skirt and the white tank top. She heads down stairs to the kitchen grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter. She moves to her dad's room and knocks on the door.  
  
"Come in." He calls hearing the knock.  
  
She turns the knob opening the door entering. "Hi Zenith how was your night?" She moves over to the desk running her fingers over the stack off books then turns to look in the direction of the closed bathroom door leaning back against the desk.  
  
"Riho how many times do I have to tell you to call me dad?" He walks out of the bathroom a joining his room pulling an orange T-shirt with a picture of a sliver dragon on it down over his blue jeans. Being twenty- eight with a twelve year old daughter was hard for him. with his short black hair and jade green eyes and her black hair and blue eyes they look almost identical. People who saw them together would swear that he looked like he should be her brother instead of her dad.  
  
She sighs sitting down in the chair in front of the desk. "I'm sorry it's kind of hard to get used to." She looks up at him. "The reason I came is Ecko stayed over last night and he needs to borrow a change of clothes."  
  
He smiles. "Alright." He moves to the closet removing a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt, he turns to the dresser grabbing a pair of socks and a pair of boxer shorts then closes the drawer. He hands the clothes to Riho.  
  
She smiles, standing she kisses his cheek. "Thanks." She runs off to give the clothes to Ecko.  
  
Zenith chuckles watching her leave. "Welcome." His eyes flash red and he shakes his head. He sits down on the bed pulling on his boots.  
  
Riho wonders down the hallway to the bathroom. She knocks on the door opening it after Ecko tells her it's alright. He stands in front of the mirror in nothing but a towel combing his hair. She clears her throat. "I-I got you some clothes." She sets them on the counter next to him.  
  
He looks up at her and smiles. "Thanks." He picks up the pair of boxers with little red hearts on them and studies them a moment then tosses them into the laundry basket. "Don't need those." He grabs the socks and puts them on. He tugs lightly on his towel and it drops to the floor.  
  
Riho's eyes widen slightly and she turns her back to him. "So uh. . . is there anything special that you had planed to do today?" She smiles slightly. Or anyone for that matter? She mentally kicks herself for the silent comment.  
  
Ecko laughs lightly pulling on his jeans. "Alright you can look now." He buttons them up looking her over once wondering not for the first time sense they met what she'd look like with out her clothes.  
  
She turns to face him her cheeks still a little red from blushing, her ice blue eyes shining brightly. "Well do you have plans?"  
  
He shakes his head. "No, I don't even think I'm going to go home. Because I know what will happen if I do." He pulls on his shirt messing his hair up. He picks up the comb running it through his hair again. "What do you think? I look alright?" He turns to face her.  
  
Mm hot stuff. She smiles. "Yeah you look fine." She nervously stuffs her hands into her pockets.  
  
"Thanks." He smiles turning back to the mirror, he picks up one of the many toothbrushes on the counter and brushes his teeth. "How about you, do you have plans?" He looks up at her reflection in the mirror a few strands of his brown hair falling over his eyes.  
  
She just stands there a moment before speaking mesmerized by his sparkling green eyes. "N-n. . ." She clears her throat again. "No I don't have plans."  
  
"Good." He turns to look at her a mischievous grin on his face. "Then what do you say we go find a real vampire?"  
  
"Do what?" Riho looks at him slightly shocked. "I thought you didn't believe in this stuff?"  
  
Ecko shrugs walking past her. "It will give us something to do and it's not like we're really going to find one." He walks down the hall leaving her standing in the doorway.  
  
She follows quickly catching up. "But what if we do find one?"  
  
He makes his way to the kitchen, with Riho no more then a step behind. "Just hope we don't." He looks around a moment then starts going through the cupboards. "Because if we do, they'll most likely want blood and we'll be on the dinner list. So we may end up in a fight and killing a few or end up with them killing us." He finds a box of cereal and opens it up, taking a hand full stuffing it into his mouth.  
  
Riho hops up sitting on the gray and white marble countertop. "Then what's the point in going?" She swings her legs back and forth her heels making a soft thud sound against the cupboard door.  
  
Ecko hops up next to her setting the cereal box between them. "Just to see if we can." He takes another hand full of cereal and eats it.  
  
"You guys eat yet?" Zenith enters looking over at them. He moves over to the coffee machine and starts a pot of coffee.  
  
"Yeah." Ecko shows him the box of cereal.  
  
Zenith laughs. "How about you Riho you eat?" He moves to the fridge grabbing a couple of eggs. Setting them on the counter he gets a bowl and a fork. Breaking the eggs into the bowl he mixes them up adding some cinnamon.  
  
Riho smiles watching him. "No not yet." She slides down off the counter grabbing a loaf of bread and sits it down on the counter next to him.  
  
"Thanks." Zenith smiles kissing her forehead. He reaches around her grabbing the frying pan he sets it on the stove. "You going to want some of this?"  
  
Riho shakes her head. "No thanks I'll get something later." She moves over grabbing Ecko's arm. "We should really be going."  
  
"Going where?" Zenith asks slightly puzzled.  
  
"No where special." She tugs on Ecko's arm and he slides down off the counter. She moves toward the door and he follows.  
  
"Hey wait a minute aren't you two suppose to be in school?" Zenith finishes up cooking and places the dishes in the sink.  
  
Ecko laughs. "No it's Saturday." He turns to Zenith pulling his arm from Riho's grasp.  
  
She grabs hold of his arm again. "Come on let's go already." She tugs lightly on his arm. "Come on."  
  
Zenith laughs lightly pouring syrup on his frechtoast. "Looks like someone's getting impatient."  
  
"Yeah I guess we better go." Ecko chuckles allowing Riho to pull him toward the door. "Oh hey Zenith you think I could stay here a while?"  
  
"Yeah you can stay as long as you need to." Zenith smiles eating his breakfast.  
  
"Thanks man I owe you." Ecko follows Riho out the door grabbing their jackets on the way. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The downtown streets are just as crowed as ever as Ecko and Riho make their way toward the center of town. The light reflecting off the slowly building water puddles sparkled just as bright as the stars.  
  
Ecko walks along beside Riho carrying her jacket. "Riho put this on please, it's starting to rain again." He holds her jacket out to her. "And I don't need you getting sick on me."  
  
"Oh alright." She takes her jacket from him and slides it on. She adjust her black leather skirt zipping her jacket up. "Are you happy now?"  
  
Ecko smiles taking her hand in his. "Yeah."  
  
Riho smiles. "That's good." She looks around studying some of the signs on the buildings. "Where should we start?"  
  
Ecko looks around. "How about there?" He points to a large two story brick building across the street from them. The sign reading: Black Rose Tavern. "It seems like a good place to start."  
  
"Yeah, dark, damp, and not too crowed." She laughs lightly.  
  
They cross the street and enter the tavern. The dim lights cast different colored shadows on the wall and floor. A Short muscular man with short blond hair and blue eyes stands behind the bar wiping it down with a towel. He smiles when he sees them. "Good morning Skeeter."  
  
"Morning Ray." Riho sits down on one of the bar stools in front of him.  
  
Ray tosses the towel over his shoulder. "Can I get you two anything?"  
  
"Two sodas please Ray." She nudges Ecko and he jumps slightly. "Find anything interesting?"  
  
Echo shakes his head. "No, not really." He sits down on the stool next to her.  
  
Ray gets the sodas and sits them on the bar. "Here you go Skeeter." He drops a straw into both glasses.  
  
Riho giggles. "Thanks Ray." She takes a drink of her soda.  
  
"Your welcome." Ray makes his way to the other side of the near empty room to wipe off tables.  
  
Ecko watches him walk off then turns his attention back to Riho. "Why does he call you Skeeter?" He looks down at the bottom of his soda glass.  
  
Riho chuckles. "I'm not quite sure myself. He's called me that sense we met."  
  
"How long ago was that?" Ecko empties his glass.  
  
"About ten years ago I think." She spins around on the stool to look over at Ray leaning back against the bar.  
  
Ray finishes cleaning up the tables and walks over sitting on the stool next to Riho. "It's been ten years already?" He chuckles. "Seems like just yesterday you were a hyperactive two year old."  
  
"Yeah but having you around didn't help much." She laughs lightly. "Then again Zenith wasn't a very good influence either."  
  
"That's true Skeeter." Ray smiles slightly shifting around a bit on the stool. "So what brings you two into town so early?"  
  
"Vampires." Ecko replies still staring at into his empty glass seeming to be lost in thought.  
  
Ray chuckles. "Hmm vampires huh?" He stands and moves back behind the bar. He pulls one of the levers on the beer tap and a panel on the floor behind the bar slides open revealing a set of stairs. "Then you might find this interesting." He starts down the stairs motioning for them to follow and they do. He leads them down the dimly lit stairwell into a large room lit by the same multicolored lights as the room above.  
  
They make their way to the bar on the far side of the room, several of the rooms occupants stop what their doing and turn to look at them. Hushed conversations being spoken in an ancient language slowly start up through out the room all eyes remaining on Riho, Ecko and Ray.  
  
Riho shivers pulling her jacket tighter around herself. "Why are they looking at us like that?" She whispers sliding onto the stool in front of Ray who now stands behind the bar.  
  
Ray chuckles. "It's because they know who and what you are or rather will be." He sits two glasses on the bar then pours a soda into each glass.  
  
Ecko looks over the occupants of the room studying them curiously before sliding onto the stool next to Riho. "And that would be?" He shifts his gaze to Ray.  
  
Ray drops a couple of ice cubes into each glass. "That I can not say, but you will find out in time." He turns away to fill another drink order.  
  
Ecko stirs the ice cubes around in his glass with a straw. "Wonder what he means by that?"  
  
Riho takes a drink from her glass spinning around on the stool so she can look out over the room. "I'm not sure. But this is rather fun don't you think?" She begins to hum along with the music from the jukebox.  
  
Ecko abandons his glass turning to look out over the room once again. As he survaies the rooms occupants a bit closer he sees several pairs of bright red eyes looking back at him. He shudders slightly. "This place is creeper then I thought."  
  
"Nah, it's great." Riho finishes her soda setting the glass on the bar. She slides down off the stool and moves out onto the partly crowed dance floor.  
  
Oh great we'll be here all day. Ecko sighs turning back to his glass he resumes stirring the ice around with the straw allowing his mind to wonder.  
  
"Hey Ray can I get some more peanuts?" A Man Standing four stools down from Ecko replies holding up and empty bowl. Ray fills the bowl and the man moves down sitting on the stool next to Ecko. "She's pretty, is she with you?"  
  
"Huh?" Ecko shakes his head coming out of a momentary trance. "Who?"  
  
The man chuckles tossing a couple peanuts into his mouth. "The girl in the black skirt?" He motions toward the dance floor.  
  
Ecko spins around on the stool. Looking out over the dance floor he can see about a hundred girls in black skirts. "Uh which one?"  
  
"The one dancing alone?" The man points to Riho. "She with you?" He sits the bowl of peanuts on the bar.  
  
Ecko shrugs. "I guess. I mean I came with her." He smiles slightly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
The man shrugs. "Just curious."  
  
The song ends and Riho walks over. She smiles at Ecko. "This is fun don't you think?" She reaches past him grabbing a handful of peanuts not seeming to notice the other person.  
  
Echo shrugs unenthusiastically. "I guess. But what I think doesn't matter as long as your having fun."  
  
Riho Laughs. "Come on Ecko don't be such a party pooper." She grab his hands. "Come dance with me."  
  
Ecko shakes his head. "Nah, that's alright." Riho makes a sad face her blue eyes shining brightly. He sighs. "Don't do this to me please I'll dance with you but then we leave okay?"  
  
Riho smiles happily she always did know how to get him to do what she wanted. "Okay we'll go where ever you want." She steps back still holding his hands pulling him to his feet she leads him out onto the dance floor.  
  
They dance to three different songs, two fast and one slow. As the last song ends they make their way back over to the bar and sit down.  
  
"Two sodas please Ray." Riho giggles. "That was fun huh?"  
  
"Yeah." Ecko replies trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Can I get a beer?" The man next to them ask Ray when he returns with the sodas.  
  
Ray smiles. "Sure Andy and some more peanuts?" He chuckles.  
  
The man wrinkles his nose looking into the empty bowl. "No doubt." He laughs.  
  
Riho laughs. "Should just bring him the whole jar Ray." She takes a drink of her soda downing it in one breath.  
  
"Wow impressive." The man complements. He smiles when Ray sits a beer and a fresh bowl of peanuts on the bar in front of him. He picks up the glass and downs it's contents in one breath then sits the glass down letting out a loud burp.  
  
Riho makes a disgusted face. "Eww gross."  
  
Ecko laughs. "That was a good one." He grabs his soda and downs it. Setting the glass down he turns to Riho. "You think we could go somewhere that isn't so loud?"  
  
"Sure." Riho looks at the other man. "You want to come with us?"  
  
He shrugs. "Sure why not I don't have anything else to do." He holds his hand out for them to shake. "By the way I'm Andy Lee."  
  
Riho shakes his hand. "I'm Riho and that's Ecko."  
  
The three get up and walk out after saying good-bye to Ray. They head back up to the street to find the sky filled with huge black rain clouds.  
  
Riho shivers slightly putting her hands into her pockets. "So where to boys?"  
  
Ecko shrugs looking around. "Could go see a movie, or to the park." His gaze settles on a blue and white Dodge Viper across the street. "Hey Riho isn't that your dads car?"  
  
Riho nods. "Yeah, wonder what he's doing down here." She looks to her right then to her left and starts across the street followed by Ecko and Andy. She looks over the car. "Let's not bother him. We'll just leave a note. Got a pen?" She pulls a piece of paper from her jacket pocket. Ecko hands her a pen. She jots down a note and puts it under the windshield wiper. "Now we can go." 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
They head off in the direction of the old cemetery on Miller road. As they reach the cemetery a light fog covers the ground partly hiding some of the headstones and completely hiding others.  
  
Ecko looks around as he pushes the old rusty gate open and steps through. "Why did we come here?"  
  
"It's another good place to look." Riho steps in behind him. She looks around seeing nothing but gray.  
  
"It's a good place to look for what?" Andy asks looking around at the tops of the massive headstones barely visible above the fog.  
  
Riho starts to walk off her boots sinking slightly into the mud. "Vampires." She replies turning back to look at Andy.  
  
Andy studies the name and date on the headstone in front of him then looks up at her. "Vampires?" He walks up next to her. "Why vampires?"  
  
Echo shrugs walking out in front of them. "Just to see if there are really any around here." He turns to look back at them continuing to walk.  
  
"That's a good reason I guess. But I doubt you'll find any here." Andy replies putting his hands into his jacket pockets.  
  
Riho looks up at Andy. "I'm sure we'll find something." She shivers looking up at the sky then down at the ground. "I hate mud."  
  
"What will you do if we do find a vampire?" Andy asks taking off his jacket and putting it around Riho's shoulders.  
  
She smiles sliding her arms into the sleeves. "Talk to it." She shrugs. "Or maybe kill it."  
  
Andy chuckles. "How do you plan on killing it?"  
  
Riho chuckles. "Why with stakes and crosses of course."  
  
Andy nods. "You sure that will work?"  
  
"Yeah." Ecko shrugs. "Well it does in the movies anyway."  
  
Andy moves over reading the inscription on one of the smaller headstones. "Mary Ann Heartly, December 3, 1825 to April 1, 1828."  
  
Riho moves to stand next to him looking down at the small angel carved into the stone. "She wasn't even three years old."  
  
"That kind of thing happened often back then. It's sad really." Andy replies moving on. "The dates become more recent as you move toward the back."  
  
"Hey look." Ecko points to a massive headstone toped by a statue of a man and a horse. "This guy was a solider in the war. Captain Brian Keller. He was my age."  
  
"It's amazing some of the things you'll find in places like this." Andy replies looking around at the slowly lifting morning fog.  
  
Riho continues walking toward the back of the cemetery following the small dirt path. The path stops in front of a small statue of an angel with it's arms raised toward the sky resting beneath a large oak tree She reads the increption quietly to herself. "Elly May Hayato December 25, 2002 to May 16, 2007. Just a baby." She shakes her head.  
  
"Hey Riho what did you find?" Ecko steps up next to her looking down at the headstone. His face pales. "I don't want to be here anymore." He turns pushing past Andy heading back the way he came.  
  
Andy looks at Riho slightly puzzled. "What's with him?"  
  
"I don't know." She follows Ecko quickly catching up. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
Ecko shakes his head. "No I'm fine. I just think we've spent enough time here."  
  
"Oaky." She takes his hand in hers. If there's nothing wrong then why are you shaking. She looks up at him. Is there something your not telling me?  
  
The three walk on in silence. After about a mile or two they are back where they started standing outside the Black Rose Tavern. The graying clouds had parted giving way to the clear blue sky.  
  
Riho sighs. "So what do we do now?"  
  
"I vote we take in a move before it gets to much later." Ecko replies stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.  
  
Riho looks at her watch. Only twelve-thirty. "What movie?"  
  
"There's a few action adventure flicks playing at the Dragons Den across town." Andy suggests.  
  
"Sounds good to me. Let's go." Ecko replies. 


End file.
